


The Chances We Take

by Spider_Man_Mando



Category: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Genre: 1930s, Attempted Seduction, Great Depression, Missing Scene, Period-Typical Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24975193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spider_Man_Mando/pseuds/Spider_Man_Mando
Summary: Before the trial, before Tom Robinson was accused of rape, he was just a black man helping a white woman. He wasn't expecting to be put on trial for it.(I had to do a missing POV for my English assignment, and I thought I'd put it here)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	The Chances We Take

**Author's Note:**

> So for anyone who has bothered to come read this, thank-you :)  
> I was proud of this and it is the only fanfic I've written for a while, sooooooooo..... Filling Gaps!

Wind whistled through trees and ruffled Tom’s hair. His shoes crunched against dirt, hurrying down the old road home. Wondering if Mayella Ewell required help, his eyes drifted to the Ewell’s house. The young woman was standing out front, wooden porch creaking as the wind swept through its panels. There was no hollering of a child, only the rickety front gate swaying in the breeze. “Can sho’ use ya help fo’ a minute.” His limbs ached from cotton picking, but Tom’s memories reminded him why he was helping a white woman. 

_“Ma, why’d ya’ help that white woman even though she was screamin’ at ya’.” A young Tom looked up at his mother, her smiling gently down at him. “’Cause even though she wasn’t nice, I woulda been a lesser person than they already think.” ___

Shaking off the memory, Tom accepted the invite to walk inside the gate. He looked around for the main job Mayella normally needed assistance with, asking, “Where the kindling to chop Miss Mayella?”

____

“Naw, I got somethin’ for you to do in the house. Th’ old door’s off its hinges an’ fall’s comin’ on pretty fast.”

____

“Ah. Ya’ got a screwdriver, Miss Mayella?”

____

“Sho’ do.”

____

She gestured inside, Tom’s eyebrows furrowing when he saw the door, “Miss Mayella, this door looks fine.” He moved the door back and forth. A faint squeak replied. Observing no other job to complete, he made to leave. The door slammed into his face. Rubbing his nose where it hit, Tom was again reminded of the quiet permeating the house. He nervously eyed Mayella, voice wavering as he questioned, “Miss Mayella, where the chillun?” 

____

She chuckled, “They gon’ to get ice-cream. Took me a slap year to save seb’m nickels, but I done it. They all gone to town.”

____

Tom wearily eyed Mayella as she twisted her sleeve, “That’s right smart o’you to treat ‘em.” _‘Specially ‘cause you normally can’t afford to do it._

____

She stopped fiddling, voice lowering as she stepped towards him, “You think so?”

____

Tom gulped at the honey dripping in her tone, and edged closer to the door. His right arm reached behind him for the doorknob, “Well, I, um, best be goin’ if I can’t do nothin’ for ya’.”

____

Mayella studied him, contemplating, “Oh, yes ya’ could.” 

____

“What?”

____

“You can step on that chair yonder an’ get that box down from atop the chiffarobe.”

____

Tom followed her arm to where she was pointing at a banged, moth-eaten box. He shoved down the niggling thought in his mind that was screaming for him to run. Tentatively, Tom lowered his arm from the doorknob, remembering the words of his mother. He walked over to the chair. He reached up, his fingers grazing the old box when a weight latched onto his legs.

____

Gasping, Tom jumped, attempting to shake off the arms now encircling his waist. Unsteady, the chair toppled over, temporarily releasing him from the claws of his captor. Tom stumbled to the floor, swivelling to face Mayella Ewell. Her gaze turned predatory as she leapt at him. Arms wrapped around his waist. Her body curled around his. His eyes met hers as he attempted to scrabble away without hurting her. Mayella’s eyes gleamed as she smirked. Leaning in slowly, she left a kiss on the side of his face. Tom stiffened as she uttered, “I never kissed a grown man before. Might as well be a n*****.” Mayella caressed the side of his face, “What Papa done to me don’t count.” She coiled her fingers around his neck, nails leaving pockmarks on his skin, “Kiss me back n*****.”

____

Tom frantically shook his head, trying to delicately escape Mayella, “Miss Mayella, lemme outa here.” Managing to pry her nails off him, he extracted himself from her grasp for a few precious seconds, his eyes locking on the doorway to freedom. Mayella edged herself in front of it. Tom’s eyes desperately pleaded with her, wildly darting around like a caged animal, “Lemme pass.” 

____

“You ******* *****, I’ll kill ya!” The window frame banged as it slammed into the sill, revealing the burning flames raging across Bob Ewell’s face. 

____

“I’m gonna die,” Tom thought bleakly, his limbs shaking as he stared at the wild beast in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, Mayella had stepped back, face painted in horror. Her father screamed abuse. “Run, run, run!” Tom’s mind chanted. He succeeded in dodging Mayella to get to the door, wrenching it open. Bolting down the steps, he flew through the front gate. The wind stung his face as he ran, not daring to look back. His heart pounded in his ears. Subconsciously, he knew what was going to happen, even if his mind was too jumbled at the time to realise. His mother’s voice echoed in his mind, her face fading into obscurity in the corners of his conscious. 

_I guess I’m a lesser person fo’ runnin’ Ma._

He wiped at the tears leaking from his eyes, his feet slowing as he collapsed on the ground. _I did exactly as you said ma; and even though I did, my good work couldn’t whiten my skin._

____

Raising his head to peer at the sinking sun, he whispered to the air, “I’m sorry…”

____


End file.
